Monday, February 15, 2010
Thinking Out of the Box
Who thought that when the
Bengal was first accepted to TICA as a Championship
Breed in August of 1985, that it would soon become the most
popular breed in the world.
For two years now, the
Bengal has claimed the title of Most Popular Cat based
on the number of registrations. Since TICA was the first
cat registry to recognize the breed and work with breeders
to help develop the lovely spotted cat we know today, being
able to claim that a hybrid cat would be the favorite of
cat lovers around the globe is astonishing.
It just shows that by thinking out of the box, and TICA
being a genetic registry, we can work with breeders to develop
cats that are healthy with good personalities, "purrfect"
not only for the show ring, but as a pet for families. TICA
hasn't stopped with the
Bengal as a new breed. The
Savannah now has reached Advanced New Breed. The first
known
Savannah was born April 7, 1986 when a female domestic
cat gave birth to a kitten sired by an African Serval. The
breed was accepted for registration by TICA in 2001. Another "new
breed" is the
Thai, the original cat of Thailand, which will soon
be able to compete for championship status.
We're proud that TICA continues to "think out of
the box" to allow more new breeds to be registered
and compete for titles and awards. That's what sets
us apart from other cat registries around the world!
Purr-sonally yours,
Vickie Fisher
President
TICA
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Chocolates and Roses
Valentine's Day is a time to shower love on your spouse,
family, friends...and cats of course! Kitty would appreciate
some cat nip, a new toy or even some scrumptious cat treats
or wheat grass.
But please be careful about any boxed chocolates you are
given. Don't let them sit out as chocolate is toxic
to cats (and dogs if you share your home with any canine
children). Also, while roses are not toxic, if kitty wants
to chew on the stems, the thorns can cause injuries to your
cat's mouth. There are flowers and plants that are toxic
so please make sure if you don't know if the flowers
are poisonous to put them somewhere out of the way where
kitty can't eat them as a snack.
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The (Longhaired) Brits Are Coming!
TICA has accepted the
British Longhair for championship competition.
The
British Longhair has the same characteristics of the
British Shorthair but its dense coat stands out from
the body emphasizing the cat's imposing lines. In most
colors, large, round eyes ranging from deep gold through
copper are set into the smiling face. In pointed cats the
eyes are blue while deep green eyes shine in the silvers.
The classic Blue remains the most popular color however
the breed comes in a rainbow of colors. Their round heads
have short noses, chubby cheeks and prominent, rounded whisker
pads creating an enigmatic smiling look to the face. The
British Longhair's round eyes are wide open and,
combined with the smile; give the cat an amused air.
British Longhair's are friendly and affectionate,
making loyal and devoted companions. If you're on the
sofa, they'll be snuggled up beside you. But don't'
think they're just lap cats! They have a little bit
of the clown in them too, playing with toys when they feel
like it.
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Topical Flea Treatments Still Under Question
According to
Pet Product News, prompted by a spike in the number
of reported adverse reactions to spot-on flea- and tick-control
products from 2007 to 2008, the
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and
Health Canada in April 2009 together launched an investigation
into the safety of the treatments. The EPA has been evaluating
the data but has not released its findings yet.
Click Here for updated information.
What can you do? Comb your cat(s) on a regular basis with
a flea comb. There are new natural sprays, shampoos and
flea collars available at pet stores or online that are
good alternatives. You can also check with your veterinarian
for alternative methods of controlling fleas.
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For Love of the Cat...
Why are there people out there that don't love cats
like the rest of us? A recent survey conducted by the
Morris Animal Foundation found that half of 1,102 non-cat
owners that responded have an overall negative attitude
towards cats based on litter box smell, shedding, unprovoked
biting and a perceived inability of cats to get along with
other pets.
The top three negative behaviors cited were cats jump on
counters, scratch furniture and spit up hairballs, which
can be addressed and corrected with training, scratching
posts and diets. Thirty-one percent of the respondents said
they couldn't have a cat in their house because someone
was allergic to them.
But not all is negative! Ten percent said they would consider
owning a cat, and another 12 percent said maybe they'd
consider owning a cat if they didn't have these problems.
Why would they consider owning a cat? The top three ranked
positive behaviors the respondents did like about cats is
that they like to play, can entertain themselves and make
people smile.
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